And so while those are the two murders in Orange Walk - there were three in the city - all occurring between Saturday and Sunday night. We start with the first at around 6:30 on Saturday night. 27 year old Darrington Lauriano was killed in what is believed to be a gun related shooting. And on Saturday night, he was hanging out at the famous Mike's Club in Belize City when he was executed. It was witnessed by minister of government Anthony Boots Martinez who told us what he saw:
Jules Vasquez reporting
It might look shabby from the outside but Mike's Sporting Club on Regent Street West is the oldest bar and membership club in Belize. On Saturday evening at 6:30, it was buzzing with activity and regular patron, Minister Anthony Boots Martinez was there:
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez, Minister of Human Development
"People were playing checkers, people were playing dominoes, people were watching TV talking about the fight the night. I was sitting playing domino and I just heard what seems to be like the sound of dynamite."
But it was a gunshot, and then three more - all targeted at this man 27 year old Darrington Lauriano:
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez
"No talking at all in my humble opinion, at blank range, no talking and not even like someone saying "bwoy" or "watcha" or what the case may be - that's it."
The gunman, described as a youth in a white t shirt, walked right in and shot Lauriano - who was sitting on a stool - in the head and darted off.
Martinez was ten feet away - and dove to the ground:
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez
"My security instinct tells me that the best place to be is on the ground. Honestly I never panic; I believe that I did what was best given the circumstances at that time. Lying on the ground there I saw an age able person ran into a wall face first. I think several people got injured in terms of not from gunshot wounds but from fleeing the scene because I am certain that that age able person was properly injured. I hear stories after that of age able people jumping over the verandah and running down the stairs and hitting themselves on the pool table and so forth. It is devastating."
He says Lauriano was not a regular at the club:
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez
"I knew Darrington and I don't know what his affiliation is. I understand that he use to frequent Supal Street, that is my understanding, after the fact. But I don't know, i always see him around and I see him a couple times on the news and so forth, but he wasn't a frequent person to that place. A matter of fact he doesn't even play dominoes."
But Martinez does - avidly. He is the sponsor and coach of an 80 persons domino team that calls Mike's its base:
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez
"I have been a member of Mike's Club for over 20 plus years. Yes I haven't been at Mike's Club for the past 6-7 years, but I dust off my retirement issue in regards to dominoes and I started to go to Mike's again actively since last year. Ordinary people play dominoes, it's a roots sport and so that is my liking."
But now, he thinks that washed away with the blood from Saturday is that sense of safety older persons felt there:
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez
"I think that is the worst incident in my view that ever happen at Mike's Club and so I think that the old members won't be going back there any time in a hurry."
We reached Lauriano's family in Hattieville but they declined comment.
Lauriano had been in trouble with the law a number of times over the years - even charged for murder on occasion. But, he was never convicted. His killing is believed to be related to a gang rivalry - which may have also factored into a murder in the area two weeks ago - when Hector "Bad Card" Lyons was killed after he left Mike's Club.
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